Bibcode
Martin, E. L.; Casares, J.; Charles, P. A.; Rebolo, R.
Referencia bibliográfica
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.303, p.785
Fecha de publicación:
11
1995
Revista
Número de citas
21
Número de citas referidas
16
Descripción
The discovery of Li in the late type secondary of the black hole binary
V404 Cyg has motivated considerable interest in the presence of this
light element in stars orbiting compact objects in general. We report
here on a search for Li in cataclysmic binaries (CVs), where a low mass
star transfers mass onto a white dwarf. For this purpose, we have taken
spectra in the LiIλ6708 region of eight CVs, and we have also
compiled existing data. In eight CVs with visible photospheric
absorption lines from the secondary, we find no evidence for Li. Our
upper limits to the Li abundance in these CVs are lower than the
abundance found in the secondary of V404 Cyg by factors in the range 2
to 300. The implications for understanding the Li observed in several
X-ray transients, are discussed. One of the CVs that we have observed,
GK Per, is known to have undergone a recent nova outburst (Nova Persei
1901), and hence our observations do not support models predicting large
Li production in classical novae.